meds for 2 exam

Yes — this is a big med packet, so here’s the clean nursing-school version.

Respiratory / Gas Exchange Meds

Class	Meds listed	Mechanism	Common symptoms	Emergency symptoms	Black box
Antihistamines	Diphenhydramine	Blocks H1 histamine receptors → dries secretions	Drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, urinary retention, confusion in older adults	Severe confusion, hypotension, trouble urinating	None major listed
Decongestants	Pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine	Alpha stimulation → vasoconstriction → less nasal swelling	Restlessness, palpitations, ↑ BP	Severe hypertension, dysrhythmias	None major listed
Intranasal steroids	Beclomethasone, budesonide, flunisolide, fluticasone, mometasone, triamcinolone	Local anti-inflammatory effect in nose/airways	Headache, nasal irritation, sore throat, nosebleed, candidiasis	Severe infection, adrenal suppression with long-term/high dose	None major listed
Antitussives	Dextromethorphan, codeine, hydrocodone combos	Suppress cough center in medulla	Drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, constipation	Respiratory depression, serotonin syndrome, anaphylaxis	Opioid cough meds: addiction/abuse + respiratory depression risk
Expectorants	Guaifenesin	Thins mucus so patient can cough it out	Nausea, vomiting, GI upset	Rare allergy	None major listed
Beta₂ agonists	Albuterol, salmeterol	Bronchodilation by relaxing bronchial smooth muscle	Tachycardia, nervousness, tremor	Chest pain, dysrhythmias, paradoxical bronchospasm	LABA like salmeterol: increased asthma-related death risk if used alone without inhaled steroid.
Anticholinergic bronchodilators	Tiotropium	Blocks muscarinic receptors → bronchodilation	Dry mouth, headache, sinusitis, blurred vision	Worsening bronchospasm, urinary retention, narrow-angle glaucoma symptoms	None major listed
Methylxanthines	Theophylline	Relaxes bronchial smooth muscle; mild CNS/cardiac stimulant	Nausea, insomnia, tremor, tachycardia	Toxicity >20 mcg/mL, seizures, dysrhythmias	None major listed
Glucocorticoids	Prednisone, prednisolone, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, inhaled fluticasone/beclomethasone	Decrease airway inflammation	Hoarseness, dry mouth, oral thrush; oral forms: mood changes, insomnia, hyperglycemia	Infection, GI bleed/ulcer, adrenal suppression, psychosis	None major listed
Mast cell stabilizer	Cromolyn	Prevents mast cells from releasing histamine	Throat irritation, cough, postnasal drip	Rebound bronchospasm, laryngeal edema	None major listed
Leukotriene modifiers	Montelukast, zafirlukast, zileuton	Blocks leukotrienes → less bronchoconstriction/inflammation	Headache, GI upset, ↑ liver enzymes	Suicidal thoughts, behavior/mood changes, liver injury	Montelukast: serious neuropsychiatric events including suicidal thoughts/behavior.
PDE inhibitors for COPD	Ensifentrine	↑ cAMP/cGMP → bronchodilation + ↓ inflammation	Anxiety, insomnia, diarrhea, back pain	Paradoxical bronchospasm, suicidal ideation, hypertension	None major listed

Respiratory meds and side effects are pulled from your respiratory chapter sections on antihistamines, intranasal steroids, dextromethorphan, bronchodilators, glucocorticoids, cromolyn, leukotriene antagonists, and tiotropium.

Diuretics

Class	Meds listed	Mechanism	Common symptoms	Emergency symptoms	Black box
Thiazides	Hydrochlorothiazide, chlorothiazide clinical use- this chic c- chf hypertension insipidus calcium calculi	Distal tubule: lose Na⁺, water, K⁺ MOST POTENT DIURETIC	Dizziness, headache, nausea, photosensitivity, polyuria thinker hyper glycemia lipidemia uricemia calcemia hypovalemia hypotension FIRST line in hypertension monitor for hyperglycemia, hypokalemia, hypotension	Hypokalemia, hyponatremia, renal failure, Stevens-Johnson syndrome	None major listed
Thiazide-like	Chlorthalidone, indapamide, metolazone	Similar to thiazides	Orthostatic hypotension, GI upset, low K⁺/Mg²⁺/Na⁺	Severe electrolyte imbalance, hypovolemia	None major listed
Loop diuretics	Furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide MOST potent diuretic think HE HF Hypertension Edema	Loop of Henle: powerful loss of Na⁺, water, K⁺	Frequent urination, dizziness, dehydration, hypokalemia think hypo -atremia -kalemia -magneisum -volemia otoxyicity hyperuricemia	Ototoxicity, severe dehydration, dysrhythmias from low K⁺	None major listed
Osmotic diuretic	Mannitol	Pulls water into renal tubule → diuresis	Fluid shifts, headache, nausea	Pulmonary edema, HF worsening, dehydration	None major listed
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor	Acetazolamide	Blocks bicarbonate reabsorption	Tingling, metabolic acidosis, electrolyte loss	Severe acidosis, blood dyscrasias	None major listed
Potassium-sparing	Spironolactone, triamterene, amiloride WEAK diuretic should not be combined with other potassium supplements	Keeps K⁺ while removing Na⁺/water	Hyperkalemia, nausea, dizziness	Fatal dysrhythmias from high K⁺	None major listed

The chapter divides diuretics into thiazide/thiazide-like, loop, osmotic, carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, and potassium-sparing groups; hydrochlorothiazide specifically causes sodium/water/potassium loss and can cause serious hypokalemia and blood disorders.

Blood Pressure / Cardiac Meds

Class	Meds listed	Mechanism	Common symptoms	Emergency symptoms	Black box
ARBs	Valsartan, losartan, irbesartan, candesartan, eprosartan, olmesartan, azilsartan, telmisartan	Blocks angiotensin II receptor → vasodilation + ↓ aldosterone	Dizziness, headache, fatigue, GI upset	Angioedema, renal dysfunction, hyperkalemia	Avoid in pregnancy
Direct renin inhibitor	Aliskiren	Blocks renin → ↓ angiotensin I/II/aldosterone	Diarrhea, dizziness, hypotension	Angioedema, renal impairment, hyperkalemia	Avoid in pregnancy; avoid with ACE/ARB in diabetes
Calcium channel blockers	Amlodipine, verapamil, diltiazem, felodipine, isradipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nisoldipine	Blocks calcium entry into heart/vessels → vasodilation	Flushing, dizziness, ankle edema, constipation, bradycardia	AV block, severe hypotension, dysrhythmias, angioedema	None major listed
Alpha blocker	Prazosin	Blocks alpha₁ receptors → vasodilation	Orthostatic hypotension, dizziness	Syncope/falls, severe hypotension	None major listed
Beta blocker	Atenolol	Blocks beta receptors → ↓ HR and BP	Fatigue, bradycardia, dizziness	Heart block, bronchospasm, rebound MI if stopped suddenly	Abrupt stopping can cause rebound ischemia/MI risk
Misc antihypertensive	Aprocitentan	Endothelin receptor antagonist → vasodilation	Edema, fluid retention, anemia, rash	Hepatotoxicity	Pregnancy/fetal toxicity concern

Your chapter specifically explains that ARBs block angiotensin II receptors, calcium channel blockers prevent calcium influx causing vasodilation, and amlodipine can cause edema, bradycardia, AV block, angioedema, dysrhythmia exacerbation, and thrombocytopenia.

Clotting / Antiplatelet / Thrombolytic Meds

Class	Meds listed	Mechanism	Common symptoms	Emergency symptoms	Black box
Antiplatelet	Clopidogrel	Blocks ADP platelet receptor → prevents platelet aggregation	Abdominal pain, dizziness, bruising, rash, diarrhea	GI/intracranial bleeding, TTP, pancytopenia, hepatic failure, Stevens-Johnson	CYP2C19 poor metabolizers: reduced effectiveness.
GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors	Abciximab, eptifibatide, tirofiban	Blocks fibrinogen binding to platelets	Bleeding, bruising	Major hemorrhage, thrombocytopenia	None major listed
Thrombolytics	Alteplase, tenecteplase, reteplase	Converts plasminogen → plasmin → breaks down clot	Bleeding, nausea, rash	Intracranial hemorrhage, stroke, anaphylaxis, dysrhythmias, pulmonary edema	Major bleeding/intracranial hemorrhage risk
Hemostatic	Aminocaproic acid	Stops fibrinolysis → helps control bleeding	Headache, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea	Thrombosis, bradycardia, hypotension	None major listed
Anticoagulant	Heparin	Activates antithrombin → prevents clot extension	Bleeding, bruising	HIT, hemorrhage	Major bleeding risk

Your clotting chapter lists clopidogrel as an antiplatelet that blocks ADP binding, GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors as platelet blockers, and thrombolytics like alteplase/tenecteplase/reteplase as clot-busters with hemorrhage as the major complication.

Cholesterol / Peripheral Blood Flow Meds

Class	Meds listed	Mechanism	Common symptoms	Emergency symptoms	Black box
Statins GOLD STANDARD	Atorvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin MAY TAKE UP TO 2 WEEKS (lifetime commitment) nursing considerations- give at night monitor liver annual eye exam report msucle aches and weakness therapy is lifetime	Blocks HMG-CoA reductase → ↓ cholesterol production works by inhibiting hmg, coa reductase, an anzyme in the liver used to produce chloesterol	GI upset, myalgia, weakness, headache	Rhabdomyolysis, hepatic/renal failure, stroke	None major listed
Bile acid sequestrants	Cholestyramine, colestipol (usually powder form) (works well with statins)	Bind bile acids in gut → body uses cholesterol to make more bile works inside the intenseness by binding to bile acids, forcing the body to excrete them	Constipation, bloating, GI upset	Bowel obstruction rare	None major listed
Niacin	Nicotinic acid	Lowers VLDL/triglycerides; raises HDL (needs a lot of it to work to get to their therapeutic range)	Flushing, itching, GI upset	Hepatotoxicity, severe hypotension/syncope	None major listed FLUSHING ITCHING
Cholesterol absorption inhibitor	Ezetimibe (can be combined with statins for the best effect)	Blocks small intestinal from cholesterol absorption	Headache, GI upset	Liver injury, severe muscle pain if with statin	None major listed
Fibric acid derivative	Gemfibrozil	↓ triglycerides, ↑ HDL act in the liver to control lipid metaboilism	GI upset, gallstones	Bleeding with anticoagulants, rhabdomyolysis with statins	None major listed
Peripheral vasodilator / antiplatelet	Cilostazol	Vasodilates + inhibits platelet aggregation	Headache, diarrhea, palpitations, dizziness	Tachycardia, bleeding, hypotension	Contraindicated in heart failure.
Blood viscosity reducer	Pentoxifylline	Improves RBC flexibility + ↓ blood viscosity	Nausea, vomiting, dizziness	Tachycardia, hypotension, blurred vision overdose	None major listed

Your peripheral blood flow/cholesterol chapter lists statin adverse effects like myalgia and rhabdomyolysis, cilostazol for claudication, and pentoxifylline for improving microcirculation by decreasing blood viscosity.

What I’d memorize first

For exam mode, don’t memorize every tiny side effect. Memorize the danger patterns:

Class	Biggest danger
Antihistamines	Sedation + anticholinergic effects
Decongestants	↑ BP, palpitations
Beta₂ agonists	Tachycardia, tremor, dysrhythmias
Theophylline	Narrow therapeutic range, seizures/dysrhythmias
Steroids	Hyperglycemia, infection, osteoporosis, adrenal suppression
Diuretics	Electrolyte problems
Thiazides	Low K⁺, high glucose, high uric acid
Loops	Low K⁺, dehydration, ototoxicity
Potassium-sparing	High K⁺
ACE/ARB/renin drugs	Hyperkalemia, renal dysfunction, pregnancy danger
Calcium channel blockers	Edema, bradycardia, hypotension
Antiplatelets/anticoagulants/thrombolytics	Bleeding
Statins	Muscle pain → rhabdomyolysis
Cilostazol	Do not give in heart failure